Electronic device and method for implementing user interfaces

ABSTRACT

An electronic device and a user interface implementing method therein are disclosed. The method includes displaying at least one content, displaying a shortcut key corresponding to the at least one content if close contact is detected, and executing a function corresponding to the at least one content if the shortcut key is selected. The shortcut key can invoke a function corresponding to the at least one content if an input tool closely approaches the at least one content in an area on the touch screen and is located within a distance from the surface of the touch screen.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/641,296 filedDec. 17, 2009, which claims priority from and the benefit of KoreanPatent Application No. 10-2008-0128383, filed on Dec. 17, 2008, thedisclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference for allpurposes as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a userinterface and an electronic device and method for implementing the userinterface through a touch screen.

Description of the Background

Electronic devices can be provided with various user interfaces to allowusers to conveniently control operations on the devices through the userinterfaces. These devices can also allow users to utilize functions viathe user interfaces.

In recent years, electronic devices have been developed to serve avariety of functions. With the advancement of technology, the sizes ofelectronic devices have also become smaller. As electronic devicesbecome smaller, a manipulating key or a mouse, may serve as an inputdevice to a user interface. The input device may select functionsthrough a touch screen. While touch screen technology is stillimproving, conventional electronic devices do not allow for theimplementation of a variety of user interfaces, thereby limiting usersatisfaction. Therefore, to improve user satisfaction, various types ofuser interfaces may need to be developed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide an electronicdevice and method for implementing user interfaces through a touchscreen.

Additional features of the invention will be set forth in thedescription which follows, and in part will be apparent from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention disclose a methodincluding displaying a content in an area of a touch screen, displaying,on the touch screen, a shortcut key to execute a function correspondingto the content. The shortcut key is displayed in response to detectionof a close contact. The close contact is detected if an input tool islocated within a distance of the area. The method further includingexecuting the function corresponding to the content if the shortcut keyis selected.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention disclose an electronicdevice including a sensing unit, a display unit, and a controller. Thesensing unit detects a close contact. The close contact is detected inresponse to an input tool being located within a distance of an area ofa touch screen of a device. The display unit displays the content in thearea and a shortcut key associated with the content. The shortcut key isdisplayed in response to detection of the close contact. The controllercontrols the display unit to display the content and the shortcut keyassociated with the content, and executes a function corresponding tothe content in response to selection of the shortcut key.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and areintended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments of theinvention, and together with the description serve to explain theprinciples of the invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates screens according to touches detected on a touchscreen according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an electronic deviceaccording to exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a method for executing functionsaccording to exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

The invention is described more fully hereinafter with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the inventionare shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many differentforms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplaryembodiments set forth herein. Rather, these exemplary embodiments areprovided so that this disclosure is thorough, and will fully convey thescope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, thesize and relative sizes of layers and regions may be exaggerated forclarity. Like reference numerals in the drawings denote like elements.Detailed descriptions of well-known functions and structuresincorporated herein may be omitted to avoid obscuring the subject matterof the present invention.

Prior to explaining exemplary embodiments of the present invention,terminologies will be defined for the description below. The terms orwords described in the description below and the claims should not belimited by a general or lexical meaning, instead should be analyzed as ameaning and a concept through which the inventor may define and describeexemplary embodiments of the present invention.

An ‘electronic device’ may refer to a device that can perform a varietyof operations, such as, for example, a data generating operation, and adata storing operation. The electronic device can perform communicationwith other electronic devices. An electronic device may include avariety of devices that can process a variety of data and communicatewith other devices by transmitting and receiving data. Examples of anelectronic device include, but are not limited to, a computer, a mobilecommunication terminal, an MP3 player, and a portable multimedia player(PMP).

‘Content display mode’ may refer to a mode that can display data storedin the electronic device. Examples of a content display mode may includea phonebook search or display mode for displaying phonebook data, a menumode for selecting a menu, and a mode for displaying images or musicfiles stored in the storage unit.

A ‘shortcut key’ may refer to a key displayed as an icon for a userinterface. The shortcut key can immediately invoke a particular functioncorresponding to a content.

A ‘close contact’ may refer to a type of touch that can be detected by asensing unit of a touch screen. Close contact may also refer to a statewhere an input tool, such as, for example, a user's finger or a stylus,may not contact the surface of the touch screen, but is located within acertain distance of the touch screen surface.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention aredescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates screens <a>, <b>, <c>, and <d> of an electronicdevice 100 according to touches detected through a touch screen,according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1<a>, the display unit 112 of an electronic device 100may display content 129 on a display unit 112 according to an electronicdevice user's selection. For example, if the user selects a phonebooksearch item to search for phonebook data from a storage unit of theelectronic device 100, the display unit 112 may display imagescorresponding to the phonebook data stored in the storage unit, as shownin FIG. 1<a>. If the user selects a menu, the display unit 112 maydisplay icons corresponding to the menu.

When the display unit 112 detects close contact to a touch screen of theelectronic device 100, the display unit 112 may enlarge a correspondingcontent 125, and may display the corresponding content 125 proximate towhere the close contact is detected, as shown in FIG. 1<b>. The displayunit 112 can also display detailed information regarding the enlargedcontent 125. For example, if detailed information is available asphonebook data for the content 125, the display unit 112 may display thedetailed information regarding the content 125 in a pop-up message, asshown in FIG. 1<b>. The detailed information may include, for example,names, phone numbers, and email addresses of the user and of the user'scontacts. If the content 125 is implemented with a menu, the displayunit 112 may display a pop-up message describing which functioncorresponding to the menu can be executed.

If a time period for detecting close contact to the touch screen isequal to or greater than a preset time period, the display unit 112 maydisplay a shortcut key 127, as shown in FIG. 1<c>. The shortcut key 127may be located above the area where the content 125 is displayed. Insome cases, the shortcut key 127 may be superimposed on the content 125.

The shortcut key 127 may refer to a key that invokes a frequentlyperformed function through content 125 in the electronic device 100.

If content 125 is implemented with phonebook data and a function, forexample, a voice call function, is frequently executed for a selectedphonebook data, the display unit 112 may display a voice call key, whichcan invoke the voice call function, as a shortcut key, as shown in FIG.1<c>. In some cases, if a message writing function is frequentlyexecuted for a selected phonebook data, the display unit 112 may displaya message writing key, which can invoke a message writing function, as ashortcut key 127.

If content 125 is implemented with a menu, the display unit 112 maydisplay a shortcut key 127 that can invoke a frequently executedfunction through the menu. In some cases, the display unit 112 maydisplay a shortcut key 127 that can invoke the highest ranked submenucontained in the menu.

The display unit 112 can display a function executed through a shortcutkey 127, as shown in FIG. 1<d>. For example, if a voice call keyrepresented by a shortcut key 127 is displayed on the display unit 112,the user may select the shortcut key 127 through the touch screen. Theelectronic device 100 may then execute a voice call function using aphone number contained in the phonebook data that corresponds to thecontent 125. The display unit 112 can also display a screen showing whenthe voice call function is executed, as shown in FIG. 1<d>.

A description of the electronic device 100 with reference to FIG. 2 isprovided hereinbelow. The electronic device 100 may execute a variety offunctions according to types of touch that are detected through thetouch screen.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an electronic device100 according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the electronic device 100 may include a touchscreen 110, a storage unit 120, a controller 130, an audio processingunit 140, and a communication unit 150.

The touch screen 110 may include a display unit 112 and a sensing unit115.

The display unit 112 may display a variety of information related to thestates and operations of the electronic device 100. For example, thedisplay unit 112 may display contents 129 stored in the storage unit 120under the control of the controller 130. When close contact is detectedby the sensing unit 115, the display unit 112 may display detailedinformation regarding content 125 proximate to an area where the closecontact is detected, under the control of the controller 130. Thedisplay unit 112 can also enlarge the mapped content 125 to distinguishthe content 125 from other contents 129, and may display the content 125proximate to the area where the close contact is detected. If the closecontact is retained for a preset time period, the display unit 112 candisplay, under the control of the controller 130, a shortcut key 127corresponding to a frequently executed function using the content 125.If the shortcut key 127 is selected, the display unit 112 may display ascreen associated with the frequently executed function.

The sensing unit 115 may be coupled with the display unit 112. Thesensing unit 115 may include a location detector 117 that can detect alocation of contact or close contact by the input tool (e.g., a user'sfinger or stylus). The sensing unit 115 may sense a change incapacitance as the input tool contacts or closely contacts the surfaceof the touch screen 110. The sensing unit 115 may be implemented withvarious types of touch sensors. For example, the sensing unit 115 may beimplemented with capacitive touch sensors.

When an input tool contacts or closely contacts the surface of the touchscreen 110, the sensing unit 115 may detect the changed capacitance andmay output a sensing signal to the controller 130. The controller 130may determine whether the input tool contacts or closely contacts thetouch screen 110, based on the capacitance value provided by the sensingsignal provided by the sensing unit 115.

The storage unit 120 may store application programs for executing avariety of functions in the electronic device 100 and a variety ofcontents 129 generated as programs in the electronic device 100 areexecuted. The storage unit 120 may store information associated withshortcut keys 127 set by contents 129. The storage unit 120 can alsostore the execution frequency of each of the functions associated withcorresponding contents 129 based on information required to set theshortcut keys 127. The storage unit 120 may store first and secondthreshold values. The first threshold value may help determine whetheran input tool closely contacts the surface of the touch screen 110, andthe second threshold value may help determine whether an input toolcontacts the surface of the touch screen 110. The first threshold valuemay be smaller than the second threshold value. The first and secondthreshold values may be set either when the electronic device 100 ismanufactured or by the user. In some cases, the first threshold valueand the second threshold value may correspond to capacitance values.

The controller 130 may control the operations of the components (e.g.,communication unit 150, touch screen 110) in the electronic device 100.The controller 130 may control the display unit 112 to display contents129 selected by the user. For example, if a user selects a mode, such asa phonebook search or display mode, a menu selection mode, a mode fordisplaying images or music files stored in the storage unit 120, thecontroller 130 may instruct the display unit 112 to display content 129corresponding to the selected mode. The controller 130 may determinewhether an input tool contacts or closely contacts the touch screen 110.

The controller 130 may determine whether an input tool contacts orclosely contacts the touch screen 110 by identifying the changedcapacitance and the area where the capacitance is changed, through thetouch screen 110. The controller 130 may then determine whether theinput tool has contacted or close contacted the touch screen 110 bycomparing the changed capacitance with the first and second thresholdvalues stored in the storage unit 120. The controller 130 may determinethat close contact has occurred on the touch screen 110 if the changedcapacitance is equal to or greater than the first threshold value. Thecontroller 130 may determine that contact has occurred on the touchscreen 110 if the changed capacitance is equal to or greater than thesecond threshold value.

When the controller 130 detects close contact through the touch screen110, the controller 130 may identify content 125 mapped to an area wherethe close contact is detected. The controller 130 may then determinewhether the changed capacitance is retained for a preset time period.For instance, the controller 130 may measure a time period that thechanged capacitance is retained using, for example, a timer. Thecontroller 130 may determine whether the measured time period is equalto or greater than the preset time period. If the controller 130determines that the measured time period is equal to or greater than thepreset time period, the display unit 112, under control of thecontroller 130, may display a shortcut key 127 related to the identifiedcontent 125. If the shortcut key 127 is selected, the controller 130 mayexecute a function corresponding to the selected shortcut key 127 usingthe identified content 125.

The shortcut key 127 may refer to a function key that immediatelyinvokes a frequently-used function through content 125. The controller130 may track or count the executed frequency of a function each timethe function is executed through content 125, and may then store thecount in the storage unit 120. For example, if the content 125 isimplemented with a phonebook, a voice call function may be frequentlyused in conjunction with a particular phone number. The controller maycount the calling frequency of the particular phone number, and may thenstore the count in the storage unit 120.

The controller 130 may generate shortcut keys 127 according to thestored, executed frequency of the corresponding functions. For example,the controller 130 may identify the executed frequency of functionsassociated with contents 129 stored in the storage unit 120, and maygenerate a shortcut key 127 that can invoke a function having thehighest executed frequency. The controller 130 may associate thegenerated shortcut key 127 with the corresponding content 125 and storethe shortcut key 127 in the storage unit 120. In some cases, if content125 is implemented with a menu, and a submenu of the menu is displayedon the display unit 112, the controller 130 may set the highest item ofthe submenu as the shortcut key 127. Accordingly, the shortcut key 127can correspond to any suitable function according to the user's choiceor electronic device manufacturer settings.

The audio processing unit 140 may include a microphone and a speaker.The audio processing unit 140 may convert an audio signal input throughthe microphone to audio data and may output the audio data to thecontroller 130. The audio processing unit 140 may also convert audiodata from the controller 130 to an audio signal, and may output theaudio signal through the speaker.

The communication unit 150 may allow the electronic device 100 tocommunicate with other devices. For example, the electronic device 100can perform short-range wireless communication, such as Bluetooth®communication and/or radio frequency communication, via thecommunication unit 150. The electronic device can also perform a voicecall with a base station.

In the following description, a method for executing functionsassociated with content 125 is described with reference to FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart that describes a method for executing functionsaccording to exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, when content 125 is selected, the controller 310may instruct the display unit 112 to display the selected content (310).Content 125 may be selected when an input tool contacts or closelycontacts a surface of the touch screen 110. The controller 310 may thendetermine whether a change in capacitance is detected through the touchscreen 110 (315).

If the controller 130 does not detect a change in capacitance, thedisplay unit 112 may continue to display the selected content. If thecontroller 310 detects a change in capacitance, the controller 130 mayidentify an area where the change in capacitance has been detected(320). The controller 130 can determine the changed capacitance usingthe touch screen 110. The controller 130 may then compare the changedcapacitance value with the first and second threshold values todetermine whether an input tool closely contacts the touch screen 110(325). The first threshold value may refer to a capacitance value thatdetermines whether the input tool closely contacts the surface of thetouch screen 110. The second threshold value may refer to a capacitancevalue that determines whether the input tool contacts the surface of thetouch screen 110.

If the controller 130 determines that the changed capacitance is lessthan the first threshold value, the controller 130 may return to step320.

If the controller 130 determines that the changed capacitance is equalto or greater than the first threshold value, but less than the secondthreshold value, the controller 130 may determine that the input toolclosely contacts the touch screen 110 and may identify the content 125mapped to an area where the change in the capacitance has been detected(330). The identified content 125 may be one of the contents 129displayed on the display unit 112. The controller 130 may then determinewhether the changed capacitance is retained for at least a preset timeperiod (335).

If the controller 130 determines that the changed capacitance isretained for at least a preset time period at step 335, the display unit112 may display a shortcut key 127 related to the identified content 125(340). The controller 130 may superimpose and display the shortcut key127 on or above the content 125. The shortcut key 127 may refer to afunction key that can invoke a frequently-executed function associatedwith content 125. In some cases, one or more shortcut keys may bedisplayed on the display unit 112. For example, if the content 125 isassociated with a phone number, the displayed shortcut keys may includea voice call key for invoking a voice call function and amessage-writing key allowing for the writing and transmitting of amessage. The shortcut keys can be displayed in a decreasing orincreasing order of execution frequency by comparing the executionfrequency of all the functions corresponding to the content 125.

After displaying one or more shortcut keys at step 340, the controller130 may determine whether a shortcut key is selected (345). If thecontroller 130 detects that an input tool contacts, through the touchscreen 110, and then releases an area where the shortcut key isdisplayed, the controller 130 may execute a function corresponding tothe selected shortcut key (350). For example, if the selected shortcutkey corresponds to a voice call key, the controller 130 may perform avoice call using a number provided by the content 125.

If, in step 335, the controller 130 determines that the changedcapacitance is not retained for a preset time period, the controller 130may determine whether the changed capacitance is equal to or greaterthan the second threshold value (360). If the controller 130 determinesthat the changed capacitance is equal to or greater than the secondthreshold value at step 360, the controller 130 may determine that theinput tool contacts the surface of the touch screen 110. The controller130 may then determine whether the contact is released from the touchscreen 110 (365). If the controller 130 determines that the contact hasbeen released from the touch screen 110 at step 365, the controller 130may determine that content 125 has been selected, and the controller 130may execute a function corresponding to the content 125 mapped to thearea where the contact and release is determined (370). For example, ifthe content 125 is implemented with phonebook data, the controller 130may display detailed information contained in the selected phonebookdata, such as, for example, a phone number, a name, and an emailaddress, on the display unit 112. After the touch and release isdetermined, the controller 130 can execute a selected function, such asa phonebook edit, deletion, and/or addition of information. In somecases, if the content is implemented with a menu, the controller 130 maydisplay submenus corresponding to a selected menu on the display unit112. After the touch and release is determined, the controller 130 mayexecute a function corresponding to a selected submenu.

As described above, the user can conveniently select functionscorresponding to the contents 129 displayed on the display unit 112.Accordingly, to execute a function, the user does not need to perform aplurality of steps but can select only a corresponding content 125 fromthe display unit 112.

Although, in the description provided hereinabove, the content 129displayed on the display unit 112 may be a menu or phonebook-relatedcontent, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are not limitedthereto. For example, if the electronic device 100 has a navigationfunction, the content 125 may be a map. The controller 130 may displaythe map for performing a navigation function on the display unit 112 ofthe electronic device 100. The map may show a visual representation of ageographical area and addresses mapped to buildings, residentialdistricts, and/or places in the geographical area. When close contact isdetected via a touch screen 110, the controller 130 may identify anaddress mapped to an area where the close contact is detected. Thecontroller 130 may then display the identified address on the displayunit 112. When the close contact is retained for a preset time period,the controller 130 may display a path guide key as a shortcut key 127 onthe display unit 112. If the shortcut key 127 (e.g., the path guide key)is selected, the controller 130 may display a path on the map using theidentified address. Although the path guide function refers to afunction that guides the user to a destination using an identifiedaddress, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are not limitedthereto. For example, the path guide function may provide a path to orfrom the identified address to an address registered by the user.

As described above, the electronic device 100 may have a touch screen110 to execute functions according to detected touches, through themethod described above for implementing the user interfaces. Theelectronic device 100 can display shortcut keys according to detectedtouches, respectively. The shortcut keys may correspond to functionsexecuted when touches are detected on areas corresponding to the displayof the shortcut keys. Therefore, the electronic device can allow usersto easily select and execute frequently-used functions through contentdisplayed thereon.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made in the present inventionwithout departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it isintended that the present invention cover the modifications andvariations of this invention provided they come within the scope of theappended claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for implementing user interfaces in anelectronic device having a touch screen, the method comprising:displaying a content in an area of a touch screen; displaying, on thetouch screen, a shortcut key to execute a function corresponding to thecontent, the shortcut key being displayed in response to detection of aclose contact, the close contact being detected if an input tool islocated within a distance of the area; and executing the functioncorresponding to the content if the shortcut key is selected.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein displaying a shortcut key comprises:determining whether the detected close contact is retained for a timeperiod.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: displayinginformation corresponding to the content.
 4. The method of claim 1,further comprising: enlarging and displaying the content in response todetection of the close contact.
 5. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: determining an execution frequency corresponding to a numberof times the function corresponding to the content is executed; andsetting the shortcut key to invoke the function according to theexecution frequency.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the contentcomprises phonebook data or a menu.
 7. A device having a touch screen,comprising: a sensing unit to detect a close contact, the close contactbeing detected in response to an input tool being located within adistance of an area of the touch screen; a display unit to display thecontent in the area and a shortcut key associated with the content, theshortcut key being displayed in response to detection of the closecontact; and a controller to control the display unit to display thecontent and the shortcut key associated with the content, and to executea function corresponding to the content in response to selection of theshortcut key.
 8. The device of claim 7, wherein the controllerdetermines whether the detected close contact is retained for a timeperiod and controls the display unit to display the shortcut key if thedetected close contact is retained for the time period.
 9. The device ofclaim 7, wherein the controller controls the display unit to displayinformation corresponding to the content.
 10. The device of claim 7,wherein the controller enlarges and displays the content on the displayunit in response to detection of the close contact.
 11. The device ofclaim 7, wherein the controller determines an execution frequencycorresponding to a number of times the function corresponding to thecontent is executed, and invokes the function according to the executionfrequency, and wherein a storage unit stores the execution frequency,the content, and the shortcut key.
 12. The device of claim 7, whereinthe content comprises phonebook data or a menu.